The makeup of contexts and people creates constraints for designing. If a designer hopes to create an effective product, service, or system, the designer must create outcomes that will function within conditions in the context and align with the person’s makeup. If a design object is formatted so the intended user can not operate it, the person will likely have a bad experience. When designers create physical products, size is a significant concern. If a design outcome is too large to fit on a shelf or to go through a doorway, the outcome may even become entirely useless for some people. Design outcomes whose form and function align with context factors and people’s physical and relational makeup are more likely to achieve their intended purposes and facilitate positive experiences.
Designing with Constraints Research
Defining constraints and identifying alignments before a design is implemented enables designers to create products, services, and systems that function within real parameters and in relevant ways for users. Here are a few constraints and alignments-design decision pairings that demonstrate this concept.
